Extremists Deface Headstones In Jerusalem Muslim Cemetery With Stars of David

By Agence France-Presse
Thursday, February 14, 2013 12:09 EST

Suspected Jewish extremists scrawled anti-Arab graffiti on the headstones in an ancient Muslim cemetery in west Jerusalem, police and witnesses told AFP on Thursday.

“The words ‘price tag’ and Stars of David were scrawled on around a dozen tombs in the Muslim cemetery in Mamilla in central Jerusalem,” a police spokeswoman told AFP, saying an inquiry had been opened.

An AFP correspondent at the scene said the vandals had also written “Mohammed is dead” and “Maale Rehavam” on the tombs some of which date back to the 12th century.

Price tag is a euphemism for hate crimes carried out by Israeli extremists which generally target Palestinians or Arabs and their property.

3. I always wonder with these stories, what sort of person thinks defacing graves is a useful activity?

4. Swastikas cannot be removed from graves

Swastikas will remain on Jewish headstones at an Auckland cemetery, despite more than $12,000 being spent on the clean-up.

More than a dozen graves were defaced with images of swastikas and expletive-ridden anti-Israeli messages in the Jewish quarter of Symonds St cemetery on October 19 last year.

Auckland Council has spent $12,107.50 repairing the porous headstones, with three being cleaned on the day the incident was reported. But it is unlikely the stones can be repaired completely.

“Sadly, the vandalism has caused irreparable damage to some headstones and it is unlikely that the black paint can be removed completely from the remaining 18 headstones,'' council spokeswoman Lynda Lucas said.